Sliding door cabinet construction

ABSTRACT

A SLIDING DOOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN A UNIQUELY CONSTRUCTED CHANNEL-SHAPED FRAME IS ATTACHED TO THE CABINET ADJACENT THE OPEN FRONT AND WHICH SLIDINGLY SUPPORTS A CLOSURE DOOR, THE FRAME EXTENDING BEYOND ONE END SIDE OF THE CABINET TO PROVIDE STABILIZATION AND AFFORD UTILIZATION AS BY ANOTHER CABINET.

A. w. CARLSON 3,567,302 SLIDING DOOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION 'March-2, 1971 Filed May 7, 1969 INVENTOR Arthur W. Carlson F76. 6 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oihce 3,567,302 SLIDING DOOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Arthur W. Carlson, Muskegon, Mich., assignor to E. H. Sheldon & Company, Muskegon, Mich. Filed May 7, 1969, Ser. No. 822,437 Int. Cl. A47b 17/00, 47/00 U.S. Cl. 312--295 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION The instant invention has particular application to those phases of activity where standard sized cabinets are ernployed. Two illustrations are the educational field and the retail merchandising field. Storage cabinets are always at a premium in fields such as these and changes in technique very often require repositioning of the storage cabinets. In some instances, the cabinets may, for a time, serve as room dividers. In other instances they may be converted advantageously into multiple study arrangements. Making the reorientation not only feasible but expeditious is the provision of a unique frame in the cabinet combination and the provision of this arrangement constitutes an important object of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be seen in the details of construction and operation set down in this specication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of four storage cabinets arranged in a staggered configuration and utilizing teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top View (on reduced scale) of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of two aligned cabinets;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a group of two cabinets staggered so as to be on opposite sides of one frame;

FIG. 5 is a top View of a student multiple study arrangement utilizing essentially the same modules as found in FIG. l; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view, partially broken away of two cabinets as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a group of cabinets 10 are seen to be interconnected making use of a frame 11 to join two cabinets 12 and 13. The left-hand end cabinet 12 has a back panel 14 attached directly to it while the second cabinet 13 has a back panel 15 attached to the outer side of the frame 11. The frame 11 contains a sliding door 16 which, in one position, closes the first cabinet 12.

All of the foregoing can be readily seen also in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, it is seen that each cabinet 12 and 13 is generally rectangular in nature and therefore consists of top, bottom, front, back and end sides, all of which are closed with the exception of the front side. The frame 11 is essentially channel-shaped in transverse section so as to provide a way for the sliding door 16. Advantageously, the frame 11 may be constructed of metal.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second cabinet 13 is attached to a third cabinet 17 by means of a second Patented Mar. 2, 1971 frame 18. The back panel 19 which is provided for the third cabinet 17 is attached to the back side of the frame 18. A sliding door 20 is provided within the frame 18 for the second cabinet 13.

The third cabinet 17 is attached to the last cabinet 21 by means of a third frame 22. In the illustration given, the last cabinet 21 is open on the side opposite those of the previously identified cabinets, so that its back panel is attached to the side thereof corresponding to the front sides of the other cabinets. The frame 22 contains a sliding door for the third cabinet 17 which when moved within the frame 22 provides access to the cabinet 17 but, in so doing, closes the open side of the cabinet 23. The pattern of access to the several cabinets can be seen in FIG. 2 where the arrows 25 show access from the front side for all but the last cabinet, and the arrow 26 shows access to the last cabinet from the rear. It will be appreciated that access to the last cabinet could be provided from the side thereof corresponding to the front sides of the other cabinets merely by attaching the panel 23 to the side opposite from that illustrated. It will further be appreciated that any number of cabinets may be interconnected in this manner.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a group of two cabinets is seen to be joined in a straight line by virtue of projecting from the same side of a metal frame 29. Panel 30 is attached to the back side of cabinet 27 and a second panel 31 is attached to the front side of the frame 29. This permits access 32 from the front to the cabinet 27 while access 33 is from the rear for the cabinet 28.

Another modification is seen in FIG. 4 Where two cabinets 34 and 35 are arranged in staggered fashion by projecting from opposite sides of the frame 36. A panel 37 is attached to the back of the cabinet 34 and a second back panel 38 is attached to the back side of the frame 36, so accesses 39 and 4f) are both from the front side for each of the cabinets 34 and 35.

Referring' now to FIG. 5, a student multistudy arrangement is seen in top plan view. This is achieved by arranging four sections a, b, c and d, each containing a metal frame 41, a cabinet 42 with its associated back panel 43, a counter-top 44 with its back panel 45 and an outer panel 46 which becomes an end panel for the next counter top. The access 47 is to the cabinet in the unit and is behind the student so that each student will be using the cabinet behind himthis cabinet being a part of the next unit. The numeral 48 designates a chair for each unit and it will be seen that by interconnecting the four frames 41 at their projecting ends as at 49, a sturdy, stabilized construction is afforded.

In any event, the projection of the frame beyond the cabinet with which it is associated provides a unique and desirable stabilization and further a means for further utilization. By providing a projected portion of the channelshaped frame, the projected portion having a length approximately twice the length of the first associated cabinet, I provide not only means for stabilizing the same but for a variety of further utilizations, as by connection to an inline or staggered cabinet, counter top, desk, etc.

While in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration, many variations of the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A sliding door cabinet construction comprising four generally rectangular cabinets each having top, bottom, back, front and end sides with walls closing each side but the front, a generally rectangular channel-shaped frame associated with each cabinet and mounted on the top, bottom and one of the end sides adjacent the front side of its associated cabinet but projecting beyond the other side, a door slidably mounted in said frame adapted in one position to close said front side and in another position to provide access to said cabinet through said front side, said frames being interconnected in a generally cross arrangement adjacent their projecting ends, counter top means operatively associated with the projecting portions of said frames, and chair means associated with each counter top whereby a plurality of students may be seated to work on said counter tops and have access to a cabinet stationed immediately beside him.

2. In a multiple cabinet structure having at least a rst and second cabinet in adjacent relation, each cabinet having walls closing all sides except one which is open, a generally rectangular channel-shaped frame secured t0 and connecting sides of said cabinets, and a slide door in each frame movable to a position closing said open side in said first cabinet and movable to a position along a side of the second cabinet to open said side in said rst cabinet.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said frame provides a common support for the two cabinets.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said second cabinet is offset with respect to said rst cabinet.

5. The structure of claim 2 in which said frame eX- tends in a straight line along aligned sides of the cabinet to unite the cabinets.

6. The structure of claim 2 in which the back side for the second cabinet is secured to said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,171 6/1953 Sterba 312-198X 2,694,614 11/1954 Dent 312-198X 3,438,688 4/1969 Ferdinand et al. 312-295 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

